A video on moncalm would be a great addition to the video collection 🤔

New captivity narratives to research! Thank you!

I love these historical videos, make me miss my home state. Thank you for sharing. 👍🏻

I am glad I found your video series, particularly the ones on the French-Indian war. Sebastion Leininger was my 6th great-grandfather, and I descend from his son George, who along with the mother, was away from the home. Thank you for doing these videos.

Cliff you are a great storyteller, please don’t underestimate your ability by recommending your followers go somewhere else. You are why we continue to watch your videos and support your Patreon account. I have gotten very excited about this series as my ancestors may be whom you are describing. Please continue with the story!

Well done. Eaglegards from Texas...

Have you covered the Sarah Sally Lowry Leith? She was born in Franklin Pennsylvania. I came across her story and her husband’s doing my friends family tree for me them. There is a place in Ohio at Wayne National forest dedicated to them. Some of their descendants changed the spelling of their last name to Leeth. Love your content that you share.

The mother singing to try and find her daughter brought tears- a child that had gone through such horrors may not have been able to even speak from shock and music brought them back to one another .. the history of German ancestors ( like mine as well) was never taught and should be taught in our schools to teach empathy and truth. Thank you.

Though she wasn't from PA, there was a young woman named Mary Ingles who was taken captive in 1755. She was carried off to Ohio and she escaped from the Shawnees around the salt licks in northern KY. It took her a couple months but she got back to her home territory along the New River near Roanoake, VA. James Alexander Thom wrote a book about her "Follow the River". It's a good book.

Very interesting.make a awesome short movie with the Mom signing the song for the end.very touching

This series continues to be the most informative and interesting I have ever seen on the French and Indian war. I would have loved to learn this history when I was in school, but it was not taught so many years ago. I do believe one's love of history is something that comes later, after a person begins to understand and appreaciate life.

Great stories.

As I said on the first part of the Penn's Creek Massacre, Barbara Leininger was my 5th Great-Grandmother. So this story is very special to me! I don't think there is a tombstone (readable) or marker for Barbara. Her husband, Peter Ruffner is also buried there, and so are his parents! There are a few Barbara Ruffners buried there, but they are not as old. I've been to that cemetery a few times and got some pictures. Many of my relatives are buried there. There are quite a few Ruffners. Barbara and Regina's mother was also named Regina. As far as I know, Marie did marry, I heard, to her uncle. I believed they lived in Lancaster area.

Rest in peace to all who were captured, and the Families that were left to carry on. Thanks for telling us their stories, we appreciate it and your efforts as well as I can imagine they do as well. Gone but not forgotten, due to people like you that remember them and share their stories. Stay safe!

I really like your videos. There is so much info. My 7th GGrandfather fought in the French and Indian War. His name was Johannes Yuengling. So I love to watch videos about people from this era. And I love old cemeteries and markers.

Hello, I have seen a few cemeteries in Maine and New Hampshire, and tombstones with skulls on them were common.

Beautiful cemetery and God Bless Barbara and Regina and Marie, and the others and families..all united in heaven

I love these historical videos. Thank you for sharing.

What a tragic and beautiful story, would love to have been a fly on the wall when the Mother started singing. Really enjoying these videos. Thank you so much for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care

Please visit Fort Loudon near Chambersburg. Pa also very interesting story.

I have been studying the French and Indian war for many years. I have seen many sites, forts, graveyards from Pa to Quebec .I'm very impressed and thankful for showing your treks. Keep up the excellent videos.

Hi Cliff, you maybe interested in the story of my g5 grandparents, Benjamin Gilbert and his wife Elizabeth. A Quaker family and their 12 children taken prisoner in 1780 by an Iroquois war party in eastern Pennsylvania. Forced to walk 300 miles north through the wilderness to Ft. Niagara and then sold. Get in touch if you want more information.

Enjoyed this. After watching I read up on Barbara and Regina, and found the movie you talked about. It is a really good movie. It is called Alone yet not alone Incase anyone wanted to watch it.

Very interesting. You make history come alive. How awesome to have such a long family history!!

Thank you for this! I just recently found my Cherokee ancestors, as well as my German ancestors who married into the Cherokee, and many of them died during the French and Indian War. That is a part of American History we don't hear about. Keep up the good work.

Some of my relatives came from Berks county pa..

I have a lot of ancestors in Burks county.

I wonder if those empty spots used to have wooden markers that have rotted away?

My ancestor Hugh Callen’s twin daughters were captured while he was away during the revolutionary war in western Pennsylvania. A French fur trader traveled to the Indian encampment they were held, and was very surprised to see twin white women in the Indian village. One of the twins hid in his canoe under the furs, and made her way home. The other twin was married and had children with one of the natives and decided to stay. The twin who escaped said they were treated well. She never married and had a wild spirit. She was said to have a special way with animals.

You are bringing history alive, Thanks Cliff

There is a lot more Cemetary on the other side of the road - Barbara could be over there.

Great story. Thanks for sharing history. Be safe.

Hi Cliff, Regina's story as well as Barbara's really goes to show the resilience that some people have to survive against the odds. I was really emotional when you spoke about the part where Regina's Mother started to sing and that brought her and her long lost Daughter back together, what they must have gone through with each of them thinking that the other may have died etc. Thank you for sharing their story, I love listening to how you narrate the things that happened back in history, great research and narration as always, thank you once again, much love. xx 🙏💖

If I was a history teacher, your videos would be required viewing for students.

I love cemeteries and the French and indian war,,,thank you..tell Jim I am praying for him...more cemetery videos please with pictures on the gravestones..i love that cemetery

"What country before ever existed a century and half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve it’s liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -Thomas Jefferson

There are always reasons why humans commit horrific acts upon others. These reasons aren't always excuses. Any time a helpless innocent child is harmed it's an act of evil.

My ancestor Hans David Billman's wife Anna and children were killed on 3/6/1756 on the 350 acre farm on maiden creek near Albany.

two thumbs up. excellent video

Truly enjoy the history stories you tell us Cliff. Bless these little girls & many others for what they had to endure. Brought tears & touched my heart so very much of a mother singing to her daughter. The cemetary where your ancestors were buried has a very nice stone wall & gate. Older headstone with angel you showed was beautiful. Thank you so much for all you teach us!!!🥰

Cliff, if you are interested, there are a lot of Indian stories/massacres and some peace negotiations around the Cherryville (Walnutport), Pa area. I would suggest contacting the Lehigh Township Historical Society. I was part of the group when they researched to publish a book and we found we had tons and tons of research so many topics got covered to only a small degree but the wealth of oral history is VAST from many multi-generation families in that area. Indianland church alone is a story and starting point. But I bet the historical society could get in touch with some of those people (they were members) and cut down any research time and get you a much better resource.

Thé stones in thé ground mark thé foot of the grave. They are not other ppl, just thé foot of the person with thé headstone

If you want to be able to read headstone inscriptions more easily, use a flashlight shined at a parallel angle to the stone, and the shadows will make the letters much more easily read :)

My fifth great-grandfather was captured by the natives outside of Fort Ligonier in 1778. His sister was tomahawked to death. His friend was, also, killed. One young lady outran the natives and made it to the fort. James returned to his family 3 years later with many great stories to tell. He married and had 16 children.

Interesting video. Thanks!

Wow really interesting! They sure indured alot! Thank you for the info!

Cool series.

Do you ever do any rubbings of the stones?

That is why Genealogy is so difficult, most of the graves are no longer legible.

The German says “Alone and yet not entirely alone”.

When I was to Regina's tombstone, the metal plaque was missing, good to see it back, although it isn't fastened. Good stories, keep it up.

Sad but awesome story, hon. I have the movie Alone Yet Not Alone, it's a really great story to watch it tells the true story of the 2 little girls that you were speaking of. If you haven't seen it I recommend it cause it's a really interesting and very heartwarming story. Thanks again for another video look forward to them always!

At 21:10 "Allein, Und Doch Nicht Ganz Allein" = = Alone, but not all alone. (Nicht = not).

🦌🌲🦅thank you for sharing your videos today have a great day stay safe out there🎥🐻🐰🦅

I absolutely love this series. I am originally from Pennsylvania but have spent most of my life in Florida. I am a history buff and when I was a child (In PA.) our house was sat next to French Creek in Meadville area. I was wondering if you will get a chance to head in that area during the series because if I am not mistaken this is the area that George Washington was sent to ask the French to leave the settlers alone. Anyway, I really do love the channel and watch all the time. Thank you for sharing. I know that history is sometimes a lot of work and I appreciate your efforts. Please keep doing what you do.

Happy Trails to you

Thank you for the interesting stories about the captive girls I will check out more information about these girls lives

Can you please get to the Massacre's in Albany Township Berks County, I live on Pine Swamp Road and I know that a few were very close..

Have really enjoyed your videos. Just a heads up, look up Pumpkintown primitives on you tube for a way to be able to read old headstones without doing damage to them.

Cliff, this is fascinating - great job - thanks. (I have said to spray plain water on the stones to make them easier to read, pretty non-invasive, like rain) But you continue to do a great job showing us PA!

The history is quite fascinating as it is sad and heart wrenching. I couldn't even begin to imagine the torture and hardships endured. The cemetery is quite beautiful. Thanks for taking us through.

Check out the French/Indian War in Somerset County Pennsylvania

alone and yet not entirely alone.

Really enjoyed the information on the history there. I can't even imagine what life would have been like back then. Having children would have been so much harder just for illness never mind Indian kidnappings. Thanks Cliff.

I can read at the Gravestone at 12:37 First Line not readebal for me then Hir ligt We()ib (?)Barb..*unreadebale*... Something oher i cannot read- Here lays Wife Barbara... I think somebody who was old made it not a younge stoneworker. Hir for Here was in old Germany until 1700 in use.. so it could be a old man who write and done this gravestone.

Aloha from Hawai'i! Very interesting. You taught me a history lesson. I always thought the French Indian War happened in the late 1600s, like 1680 or something. Was there an earlier one in New England? This series brings back memories of childhood in the 1950s. Our maternal grandma and mother would drag my younger brother and me all over New England looking for grave stones of ancestors dating to the 1600 and 1700s. Of course in those days we were bored. Now searches like this fascinate me. Here's a hint I learned from a KZfaqr in Georgia: He always carries a small powerful flashlight when visiting old graveyards. By slanting the beam across the stone, he is better able to read inscriptions without defacing it with chalk, etc. I forget the man's name, unfortunately, but his You Tube address is "Sidestep Adventures". Keep on Wandering!

Did you try Find a Grave?

Like the book "The Light in the Forest."

The wife and I have been binge watching your videos a few weeks now and we are learning a lot of information from you about nature. We are starting to get interested in hiking actually because of you. Is there any trails you could recommend near York, Pa that would be beginner friendly for a person who isn't in the greatest of shape? Also would be great if sometime you could do a gear video that explains what gear you carry with you and what you take in your bag. Would help people newly getting into hiking get some ideas of what they would need to have and get an idea of the cost associated with it. Anyways, thanks for your videos and the time you take to make them.

My early family ancestors experienced an Indian attack here in PA in 1757. Some of the family was scalped. Others were taken captive and sold into servitude in Canada. See the link below for the story of the Keller attack. www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?574,619006

You can use plain water in a spray bottle to read stones. Also use a mirror to reflect sun or a very good flashlight onto the stone can help to read. I saw the mirror on youtube,

Great stories...thanks for bring them to life. Also there's Francis Slocum. What kind of jacket are you wearing?

Where did all the snow go?

Very interesting story of what these children would have experienced being captives. Forced labour for them to endure and not knowing whether they would see their family again. Thanks for this history Cliff!

Wonderful and very interesting video, Cliff. Thanks for sharing the girls' stories and the beautiful churches and cemeteries. The historical society marked Regina's monument with a plague. I would think they would have done the same for Barbara if they had known the actual location of her grave.

try shining a very bright light at a shallow angle - sometimes that brings out the carving

Very sad story about the kidnapped young girls. I still feel for the Native Americans. They were constantly being cheated and lied to. This led to the horrors and atrocities committed by both sides in this conflict.

THANK YOU FOR SUCH A INFORMATIVE STORY ALMOST LOST AND FORGOTTEN ABOUT DUE TO TIME AND INCOMPLETE RECORDS SOME 400 YEARS AGO YOU ARE ALSO A VERY GOOD STORY TELLER DONT QUIT YOU HAVE WHAT WE CALL GIFT OF GAB MEANING VERY DOWN TO EARTH TYPE OF GUY.

Awesome series. Just can't imagine living back in these times especially being captured and what they and their families went thru

Definitely a time in history that so few of us Americans know about!

Alone, and still yet not completely alone

I am a Coloradan recently retired to PA,so county names don't always reveal what part of the state you are in (we memorized counties in 6th grade). Could you perhaps begin your video with a "Here we are today in XXX, Pa" and show a map with a location dot?

Is this filmed with Sony AX43?

The Indians took captives for 2 reasons . Neither involved slavery . They kidnapped children because they either were replacing a family member whom they had lost most likely in battle with whites . They felt justified to take a child for that reason . And they may go to great lengths to kidnap that child . They found children on raids . Raids were conducted to retaliate against settlers on Indian land who refused to leave when asked to . Once again , they felt justified . They took only certain children . Very young but no infants . They adopted the children into their family and treated them just like all the other children. Children are very resilient and adapted easily . Most enjoyed the carefree lifestyle and grew to be healthy adults . Some did not . And the reunification was mandatory . They did not have any choice . Many did not want to go back to white society and some ran away to rejoin their Indian family . Most actually stayed in contact if possible . These reunification’s were standard treaty fodder . They occurred many times . Incidentally , if you were a captive older than say 9 , you were most likely going to be tortured and possibly eaten . Have a nice day !

I like the way you dance around the subject of indians taking Europeans as slaves...

She was the wife of Peter Ruffner. They were married February 1, 1761, in New Holland, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In 1755, Barbara (age 12) and Regina (age 9), sisters were captured by the Indians. Barbara escaped after 3 1/2 years of captivity. Regina was released after 9 years of captivity in 1763. She was the daughter of Sebastian and Regina Leininger. She was a sister of Christian Leininger, John Leininger, and Regina Leininger Hartman (Regina was named after her mother.)

I have a question. The tombstone says Regina Hartman as well. My name is Hartman and my family cane from Germany to that area. Do you know wht it says Hartman?

Well as long as you are walking thru it and not laying in it, you’re okay! 😂

There is a plague in north central PA that I came across years ago along the side of a road that claims that "on this spot( near a stream) the FIRST Declaration of Independence was signed. Prior to July 4 1776." The men grew weary of the Continental Congress delegates not doing anything, so they declared independence from the King of England. It goes on to say that because trails and roads were so rough in the wilderness that it took a couple weeks to travel to Philadelphia. The men arrived in Philadelphia at the time of the celebration of July 4. Fascinating story I'd like to find out more about. If you feel so inclined to investigate it.

I was raised in PA and I was never taught about this massacre. I wonder how many were taught this? Of course I know this is local history but it's also state history. I agree that this should be taught as all history should be taught both good and bad. I'm also wondering who owns that cemetery. That looks like a church cemetery. Since the graveyard is so old they might have rules about trying to copy tombstones?

Native diets weren't bad, they were different.

Bodies of the dead were so mutilated in accordance with Native American customs that identification would have been futile in many instances.

You can learn some German like I did by listening to Rammstein German and English translation KZfaq videos.

There is an old cemetery near Cambels ledge that was from the the French and Indian wars. Very few people know about it. People were killed by the indians during these wars are buried there.

Menial tasks.

Who was the little girl what was her name ?

They were slaves as booty of war, not forced labor.

were not going to talk about that now... Were not giving details I want to keep it PG? really?

My Grandpa would be yelling at this point to get off the graves and stop standing on the bodies... My grandma would be teary, at what those folks suffered. When you are looking for someone in a graveyard, you have to think about how those churchyards were filled. Were they filled by date, like the Moravian cemeteries, where you were buried in order by the date you died, or were they filled by family plot? The graves you were looking at were later than the date of Barbara Leininger's death. I'm guessing she might have been closer to the church, and more to the east, but I'm just guessing. I married an Englishman, raised in England and English/Irish on his mother's side. His father was from Texas, and we knew almost nothing about his family. Come to find out, his father's family were German Moravians and Mennonites who came through Berks and Lehigh County, and eventually moved to the Winston Salem community as a result of these Indian wars, and later westward to Texas. So his family were PA Dutch too. Some of them were actually members of Emmaus Moravian, which was my family's church as well, so my "foreign" husband might actually be related to me. They moved south in 1763, from Reading, so probably just about the time Regina was coming home. Also, keep in mind the travel time. I believe Regina got back in the winter of 1764, but she would have been released some time earlier, and would have been traveling home on foot or on horseback through some pretty rough country. George Washington covered that territory in three weeks, ish, but he was a young, strong man. It probably took longer with captives, in snow, who were probably not well or well fed. So she was probably released in 1763, and the discrepancy in the dates accounts for travel time.